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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28160973">The Dutch Boat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/herlocksholmes1888/pseuds/herlocksholmes1888'>herlocksholmes1888</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Addition, Canon Era, Fiction, Gen, Mystery, Post The Great Hiatus, Whump, this contains near character death stabbing shooting and explosions. also atempted murder-</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 18:20:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,378</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28160973</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/herlocksholmes1888/pseuds/herlocksholmes1888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The case of the Friesland boat, taken from The Norwood Builder.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Dutch Boat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this after watching The Norwood Builder episode from TV Granada's Sherlock Holmes series. I was suddenly reminded of the perils Holmes and Watson faced shortly after his dramatic return and got myself thinking how their relationship has been affected by his disappearence and how solving cases was one of the very things keeping them connecting to each other. I also thought a lot about the possible whump that might come with the fact that they both nearly lost their lives on this case. This is why I wrote this.<br/>This is also my first story on AO3 and written in English. Any grammatical corrections are welcome! Enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was an ordinary morning of 1894 and my friend and associate Sherlock Holmes had just come back from the dead. I still lived in the house that I used to share with my late wife Mary, but I spent each day more time back in the flat that I one day shared with my friend at Baker Street. I felt inclined to reconnect with that man but, truth be told, after believing in his death for 3 years I found it hard to trust him in the same devoted manner as I did before. </p><p>Hence why, in this particular morning, I found myself quietly and busy on my own interests. I could sense a palpable tension in the air while Holmes and I remained in silence ever since we arrested Sebastian Moran, but I pretended to be unbothered by it. I occupied myself by reading The Times when Holmes suddenly broke the quiet:</p><p>“I suppose you are not interested in adventuring yourself with me so early.” Even if his tone was sarcastic and indifferent, I could sense insecurity in his voice. </p><p>“Mr. Holmes, with all due respect, <i>who</i> would demand your services? To the public eye, you are but a dead man.”</p><p>“I had the misfortune - or the luck, since it lies in the eyes of the viewer - of knowing a Dutch man while I stayed in the continent. He recognized me and nearly ruined my lord Ashwood disguise. And I’m afraid he has a problem.”</p><p>We hadn’t had any opportunity of talking about how much his sudden reappearence bother me and solving a case seemed like the only way my friend saw us solving our issues between ourselves after such dreadful mistake. Even still, I was impatient, for my leg was hurting and I could barely move myself without assistence. </p><p>Either way, my association with that man made me, even if still reserved, curious of the macabre and mysteries and, therefore, I asked: “Which problem, Holmes?”</p><p>“Ah, so you are already back calling me by my surname only? Your curiosity is really powerful, dear Watson.” he got up and took a knife from the desk, taking one of the many letters it held. “Would you be so kind as to read this, Watson?”</p><p>“Are you still in the need of glasses, Holmes?”</p><p>He shrugged and I decided to read the document after all. It had the following:</p><p>
  <i>My dear “lord Ashwood”<br/>
I hope this letter finds you in good health. From what I remember, you were extremely ill last time I saw you<br/>
I understand if you wish to wait to solve a new problem once you return to Baker Street, and do the things that once eternalized your name in the guts of History, but I have found a problem that may, perhaps, interest you. It is odd, even if it does not seem dangerous. Therefore don’t feel pressured to take my case.<br/>
Give me a chance and I shall be delighted to give you the details after my breakfast. Await my visit between nine and eleven o’clock. I believe you owe me at least that.<br/>
Wilhelm Jansen</i>
</p><p>“Owe?”</p><p>“I spent 3 years walking through the continent with colonel Moran after me; how do you imagine my health was most of the time?”</p><p>“Well, now it’s already past-nine - so he must be coming soon. Do you know something of the matter?”</p><p>“Apart from the obvious facts on the fabrication of this paper, that mr. Jansen wrote it in his travel to England on a steamboat and wrote it with goose feather, I know as much as you.”</p><p>Our visitor came by at exactly 10 o’clock. He was a dark skinned young man and had light eyes, with a mild hunchback. His dark hair went down to his face and formed properly trimmed sideburns, which appeared to be trying to hide a long scar on his face. He dressed as a member of the marine and I presumed him t be a captain. I forced myself to remain in a respectable attention position. </p><p>“Please, no formalities needed.” mr. Jansen asked with a strong accent. “I know how much your injuries hurt.”</p><p>“Thank you, sir.”</p><p>“But I actually came to see your friend. That is, if he has time to listen.”</p><p>“Have a sit, mr. Jansen. And, please, we are all smokers here - there is no need to restrain yourself.”</p><p>Jansen let out a loud laughter and looked at his hands. “You don’t loose a chance, do you, little devil! He never saw me smoking because I went out of the room to do so - this poor devil was already ill enough to inhale my smoke - and still just a look at my hands and you know I do my own cigarretes!” he sat down, the humour on his face vanishing. “No, but I came to discuss a serious subject with you gentlemen. Honestly, it does not appear serious, but it ends my slumber. I heard this is the exact type of things you both like.”</p><p>“Please,” my friend asked, as gentle as he was able to “get to the point.”</p><p>“Of course, of course. Very well, as you may have noticed, I am a captain of a steamboat. It’s name is Friesland. Good boat, real fast. You must have noticed that my letter was rather oddly written - I wrote it when the boat was going full velocity. Even if I am ex-military, the boat is merely for cargo. We transport some dangerous products, most of them that the british artillary may find useful. We have a powder package from Asia and we are transporting it to Europe - isn’t it incredible how the comercial union between these recently opened countries with ours works so well?”</p><p>“Which incident brought you here, mr. Jansen?” my friend asked, controlling himself as not to yawn. </p><p>“Well, when we went to verify the cargo… some packages had vanished. I am not a chemist, so I can not say exactly what was inside them, but I know you could if you saw them, mr. Holmes. I know they are explosives. My biggest theory is that someone is stealing them so they can sell them cheaper - it wouldn’t be the first time.”</p><p>“If it was not the first time,” Holmes said, leaning foward as it was his habit when something interested him “then there was another circunstance that brought you here, correct?”</p><p>“Correct. Paper started vanishing too. The paper in which we wrote the reports and calculated God knows what about sellings simply disappearead! I understand stealing weapons, but stealing paper?” his face became an overly exaggarated caricature of confusion. “Y’understand? It’s… out of the ordinary.”</p><p>“Indeed.” my friend agreed. “But, to the analyst, the improbable combination makes sense. I want you to make a list saying who could’ve accessed the itens and where Friesland is docked; Watson and I shall unite ourselves with you after lunch.”</p><p>“Splendid!”</p><p>“And do not allow them to steal anything else, observe everything. A hazard may be near.”</p><p>“Of course!” he started to leave.</p><p>“Ah, and one more thing, mr. Jansen!”</p><p>“What is it, mr. Holmes?”</p><p>“Why did you enter the Navy?”</p><p>“I was but redeeming myself from past mistakes, mr. Holmes. The Navy took me to the right path.”</p><p>Holmes nodded, signing him to go away.</p><p>“The situation is severe, Watson.” he whispered once our client was away.</p><p>“The powder stealing maybe, but the paper? And why did you ask such personal question?”</p><p>“Because I have formulated a theory and I hate it with every inch of my body for, if proven right, we have but a small fraction of time to act.”</p><p>“So, you won’t eat?”</p><p>“Only if it is with you.”</p><p>“All right, we shall eat out today. You must be my support, for I have been limbing more than the usual.”</p><p>The invitation was out of the ordinary, for Holmes rarely touched food while working. We spent a little time eating in silence and then drove ourselves to the Friesland. </p><p>Wilhelm Jansen was unavailible at that moment to talk, so we ended up talking to one of his subordinates, many of which did not recognize us.</p><p>“Why do you want to know about the lost materials?” one of the men asked. “You both don’t seem like buyers.”</p><p>“Indeed we are not, but the captain asked for our help.” Holmes replied. “We came just to ask some questions, nothing that shall require much of your time.”</p><p>“Do you have any suspects as to who is stealing the cargo?” I asked.</p><p>“So many ideas I have none. I mean, there are many candidates and I don’t think that an entire list would be useful.”</p><p>“We already have a list, we only expected to filter it.” Holmes said. “Does anyone in the crew know of mr. Jansen before he became captain?”</p><p>“Well, that seems to lower the number already. There are at least two men who have known him before he entered on Friesland. In fact, they themselves seem to have entered because of him, shortly afterwards.”</p><p>“And what was Jansen’s reaction upon seeing them?”</p><p>“Restlessness may seem the right word, sir, but he was still professional even when facing this. I have no idea as to his life story, but whatever evil those men did to him, he was worthy enough to forget it and treat them as part of the family.”</p><p>“How restless?” I asked.</p><p>“As soon as his eyes met theirs, his attitude changed. He was acting like a injured dog near them. I never asked him why for I am a reserved man and the past of a man is but his own problem.”</p><p>“Do you have the names of the gentlemen?” Holmes questioned. </p><p>“They’re the Van den Berg brother. At least two of them. But, if you want my personal opinion, they are not the type of person that does anything like this. They are not corrupt enough. After all, they are respectable artists.”</p><p>“Any of the crewmates know of the captain’s past?”</p><p>“He is not the type to open himself… but I can bet that the chief mate knows. They are best friends and best friends have no secrets among them. His name is Bakker.”</p><p>I immediatly glared at Holmes and I could sense that he knew why I did. He cleaned his throat. “Thanks for your input, we shall call you if needed.”</p><p>We walked away and Holmes decided to look for the chief mate, but asked me to see how the untouched packages were. I obeyed, staring silently to the group of packages that still remained on the floor.</p><p>I heard footsteps and decided to hide myself behind some boxes. I heard a masculine voice say, in Dutch: “Get out. We have enough.”</p><p>“Do we have where to go?”</p><p>“Don’t worry about that. We’ll be safe.”</p><p>And that’s all I could understand of their conversation, apart from something that I thought meant “explosion”.</p><p>I waited patiently even after they were gone and I fled. I stumbled on Holmes halfway through and I told him what had happened.</p><p>“Do you think it means something.”</p><p>“I think my theory has been confirmed.”</p><p>“Is it a bomb?”</p><p>“I’m afraid so. If their discussion went so smoothly, it means they are ready to act. I warned the chief mate Bakker to flee Friesland as faster as possible with captain Jansen, but maybe he may find some resistence. Other members of the crew were notified, but I am not certain we can save all of them.”</p><p>“Why would the Van den Berg do such thing?” I asked, running after him the best I could.</p><p>“Don’t you remember the shameful past Jansen has? I believe he had killed the third Van den Berg brother. Maybe sister.”</p><p>“Why do you think so?”</p><p>“Have you heard the manner the man we interrogated refered to them? ‘At least two of them’. There were more. That and why would two well-known artists get a job like this? Especially with a dangerous cargo?”</p><p>“A home-made bomb can be done easily with the materials that are being transported, and paper! How did you think of all that so quickly?”</p><p>“I heard of a case in which a woman exploded her ex-fiancée’s house with a home-made bomb like this. Happened way back in 1850. Must be in my archive back at Baker Street.”</p><p>We halted near the captain’s cabine and the door was half-open. Holmes whispered: “I hope you brought your Colt.”</p><p>“I shall never loose it.” I took it from my jacked, stepping in front of him.</p><p>“Some things never change.”</p><p>We got in and spotted the uncounscious captain sitting on a chair. One of the men we were looking for looked behind and jumped on me. I must have shot him and killed him instantly, but his weight was enough to make me fall to the ground and hit my head. His partner in crime heard the confusion and approached to attack Holmes, but I could not see what was happening. I was dizzy and I really believe I may have blacked out for a few seconds during the confrontation. </p><p>The bomb was still there and I could hear it. We had but a few moments. I dragged myself to the captain and took him away from the cabine when I heard Holmes give a muffled scream of pain. The blade had cut him and the floor was painted in red. </p><p>Even with my affected aim, I shot and the other Van den Berg fell down, still breathing. Holmes dragged himself close to me, holding his bleeding injury with one hand.</p><p>“Will he live?” he asked.</p><p>“It was just chloroform. How are we getting out from here?”</p><p>“The chief mate told me he would get a dugout and place it below in case the captain refused to go at first.” he forced himself to get up and helped me with the weight. “Jump!”</p><p>The explosion made me deaf for sme moments. The impact with the dugout was also no good experience and my back started to hurt. For some moments, I knew not where I was. I was confused and anxious, remembering of the many explosions I faced back in Afeghanistan. The memories lasted only a few moments, and yet the fear was a cloud that lingered. </p><p>Chief mate Bakker started rowing us close to the shore, but I wasn’t sure we had that much time. I turned to look at my companion, suddenly worried when I remembered he was hurt near his chest.</p><p>“Holmes…” I stammered his name, praying he could still listen. “Holmes, are you awake?</p><p>“For a short while, I fear.” he whispered back. “Things seem to be going south, eh?”</p><p>“I think I have a concussion… or some fracture.”</p><p>I heard his weak laughter. “In the end, we die together. And no one will ever know what we say; Bakker is not an english-speaker.”</p><p>I felt extremely ill even to talk, but I still forced myself to. “I am a soldier, I shouldn’t be afraid of death… and yet I am.”</p><p>“Then let us speak of it with humour, shall we, John? Do you have any regrets before mr. Bakker turns into Charon?”</p><p>“Not running away from the army.” I answered, with a weak grin. “You?”</p><p>“Not telling you the truth.”</p><p>I believe Bakker yelled for help, but I did not pay attention to him.</p><p>“In case there is no other side,” Holmes mumbled “I would like to thank you for making the last 13 years of my life the best of them.”</p><p>I laughed a little, already feeling my eyes closing. “The feeling is mutual, Sherlock…”</p><p>I have no idea how much time has passed between this moment and what happened next, but it must have been at least a couple of hours. I can only say for certain that I woke up at a hospital with a bandaged head and that I saw Holmes in the bed by my side, not awake. It took memory some moments to strike and, as soon as it did, I leaned closer to my partner as to wake him up. I poked him and called him many times before he showed a reactions and, truth be told, he took much longer than I to take notice of his surroundings.</p><p>“Sometimes, it seems not even death wants me around…” he commented, sitting. “Are you all right, Watson?”</p><p>“Dizzy, but that’s all. And you?”</p><p>“I feel as weak as a royal boy.”</p><p>His comment made me laugh. “At least you are still alive. And will listen to further explanations from Jansen.”</p><p>“Oh yes, that’s something good. And I believe it will be very soon.” he said, as our client entered the room. </p><p>Wilhelm Jansen walked towards both of us, ashamed. “I am so sorry for all the trouble I brought to you, gentlemen. God, I never wished it came to this point…”</p><p>“We’re being paid for it.” Holmes interrupted him. “And it would be rather nice if you could explain your reasons for killing the third Van den Berg. And remember to tell me a good reason as to avoid jailtime.”</p><p>Jansen sighed. “Of course… I think it’s the bare minimum I owe you. But I want to make it clear that I wish to be free after the explanation.</p><p>“I was a poor boy and I had escaped from an unstable home. I spent a lot of time in the streets, but I ended up learning how to money by associating with some artists. The Van den Berg were extremely skilled actors and I helped with the illumination of a play or another. But, God, I wanted more money and I decided to audition.</p><p>“I lost the role to the younger Van den Berg, Lennon. I was just going to talk to him and try to negotiate, but he was drink and disfigured me with a razor. I lost control and used his own weapon to kill him. I then ran away. I commited many crimes after the first one, most of them involving robbery.</p><p>“I spent most of my life enjailed and, then, I decided to enter the Marine. It was extremely hard for them to accept me, but once they did I couldn’t be more happy. I fought in some battles, just like my ancestors did, and I retired after some time. Friesland was supposed to be, well, my return to the seas in a less dangerous job. But my past pursued me and, as it always does, hunted me down. My karma nearly took my life and my crew’s.”</p><p>“Understand, I can not change the misdeeds from my past and I don’t believe I deserve forgiveness for them, but I think I can ask for a second chance. My friend and chief mate agreed in taking be back to Holland and help me get a new career if you let me go. But Bakker know my mistakes and is going to understand if you do not wish for me to go.”</p><p>He fell silent and waited.</p><p>“Well,” my friend commented, low. “I want you to understand that I am only letting you go because I owe you my life.”</p><p>“You serious?”</p><p>“And, of course, the fact that you are doing good in your second chance. I don’t believe you to be a threat.”</p><p>“I thank you, mr. Holmes. And I want you to know that I already paid the hospital to treat you.”</p><p>“I would much rather be treated at my own house, but thank you for your concern. Please, leave.”</p><p>He obeyed and Holmes laid on bed, frowning to the ceiling. “He won’t cause any more trouble, I doubt we shall hear of him again. Do you think I made a mistake in letting him go, friend Watson?”</p><p>“I believe that he feels sorry enough to be considered a redeemed man.”</p><p>“Yes…” he replied, distant. “I am of the same opinion…” Then, in a more relaxed tone, he warned: “Well, since I can do nothing here, I’ll sleep for the next couple of hours and I suggest you do the same, doctor, so your head doesn’t explode. Do not wake me up unless in an emergency.”</p><p>My friend turned around and went into deep slumber.</p>
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